Disclaimer: I don't own x-men, however Matt is my character. The x-men belong to Marvel and the WB.
Author's Note. Okay I don't know how old Tabitha is supposed to be, but in this fic she and Rogue are both sixteen and boom boom lives at the mansion. And my cable got cut out Bastards! So if my character development of Tabitha sucks, there is my excuse, I've never actually seen her in action. Matt has only been at Xavier's for about a month.
Matt ran a hand through his brown hair. Sweat clung to his temple. Ahead of him Scott and Ray were climbing up the agility ropes. Matt wiped his hands on his PE shorts. The whistle blew and Matt charged up to the cable. Using his telekinesis he helped himself climb faster.
"Helping yourself out a bit?" Jean smiled down at him from her position on the climbing net. Matt grinned.
"Damn straight Red. Whatever gets me outta here quicker." He said pulling himself up farther.
Matt grabbed a wet towel and opened his locker. Scott and Evan were wiping the sweat away from their foreheads.
"Whoo hoo, lookin' good Scott, been working out? My my Jean is lucky!" Matt laughed as Scott took off his shirt.
"Shut up Matt, if you're just jealous." Scott teased. Matt pulled off his shirt to reveal a ripped and toned upper body.
"Damn man, where did you get those?" Asked Evan in a state of awe and jealousy.
"Worked out everyday at my old school." He said, a devilish smile spreading across his face. As he spoke Lance and Fred strutted into the locker room.
"Hey Rakes, nice six pack, for a kid." Blob sneered. "Look how big mine is!" He said thrusting out his stomach.
"That's not a six pack Fred, it's a damn keg." Matt said lacing up his shoes. The three X-men left the locker room. Jean and Rogue met them outside. Jean and Scott put their arms around each other. Matt watched as they walked down the hallway to their lockers. Ray and Tabitha were talking to a large crowd. Matt looked Tabitha over but quickly corrected himself. Matt punched Evan and Kurt,
"Let's go guys," He said striding out to his car. Kurt popped up next to Matt in the X-jeep. Matt turned the keys.
"Saw you looking at Boom Boom." Evan said. "You think she's hot?" he asked, a little surprised Matt hadn't looked at Magma. Matt shrugged.
"She's okay, not really hot," Matt said waving off the question.
"Not as good looking as Amara." Spyke said. Kurt snorted.
"Ja, if she would get rid of that bitchy attitude."
"No kidding dude, she is a real bitch, but she's okay." Matt turned the wheel and slowed to a stop. "You think Magma's hot?" he said trying to penetrate Evan's cool exterior.
"She's okay." Evan said vaguely. Matt smirked to Kurt. "Ja Amara is really hot." Kurt swooned spying Evan's face grow a little bit jealous. Matt jabbed Kurt in the side. "Leave him alone, if he wants to go after Magma who are we to stand in his way? I mean, if he likes the whole medieval torture thing let him go for it." Matt smirked turning the wheel. Evan reached up and punched Matt in the arm. "Whatever guys, but I think you like Tabitha. Why don't you ask her out man?" Evan asked. Matt shook his head.
"I never even said I liked her, let it go, I was just watching what she was doing." Matt said, pushing the fact that he did have a small fascination with Boom Boom out of his head. Matt parked the car and stepped out. Ray, Jubilee and Rahne were talking in a circle. Jean and the others pulled up in Scott's car. The seven of them walked into the mansion. Tabitha walked in with Rahne. They were talking in hushed voices. Matt looked over his shoulder to the two girls. Tabitha smiled and continued walking.
"A bit young eh?" Jean said coming up behind him. "Don't know what your talking about Jean." Matt said walking up the stairs. Jean folded her arms. "You don't have to be a telepath to see that you like her." Jean said silently letting her thoughts trickle into Matt's mind. Matt turned around. "Fine I admit it, Mrs. Summers." Matt thought letting Jean turn slightly red.
Tabitha, Rahne and Jubilee sat in Rahne's bedroom. "He is kinda cute." Tabitha said. "He was staring at you today." Rahne said shaking herself into her wolf form. She rolled on her back and stretched. "Not to mention the nice muscles." Tabby said.
Matt sat in his room. He did like Boom Boom, he might as well face it. But she probably couldn't care if he existed or not. Matt looked out his window, the weekend had finally come, now he could relax, at least until training. A knock on his door shook him out of his daydream. Rogue poked her head in.
"Hey Matt, Kitty and Ah are going for burgers, you wanna come?" Matt got up. "Sure kid, let me grab my wallet." Rogue screwed up her face. "Kid? Ah'm a year younger than you. Whats the idea, you lookin' fer retirement early?" Matt smiled. "Sorry, saying back home, everyone calls everyone else a kid, it started with my grandpa, after he died his nicknames sorta stuck." Matt said taking his wallet off his dresser and shutting his bedroom door.
"So like are you going to ask Tabitha out?" Kitty asked, as Rogue pulled into the parking lot. Matt raised an eyebrow. "Who told you that?" He asked trying to sound nonchalant. "Please, do you like her or not?" Kitty asked. Matt shrugged. "She's okay."
"Ugh," Kitty groaned. "Just like ask her out!" Matt shook his head.
"Where do you guys get this? I never even said I liked her." Kitty shrugged. "Kurt." Matt rolled his eyes.
"Leave him alone." Rogue said stepping out of the car. Kitty made a face and followed the two older teens into the restaurant. Rogue and Mat sat down as Kitty trotted off toward the restroom.
"It's gotta suck sharing a room with her." Matt said watching Kitty's ponytail swish down the narrow hallway. Rogue nodded.
"You get used to it."
The waiter came and took
orders once Kitty returned and they ate their meals with little talk until
Kitty broke the silence.
"So what was your life like back home?" Matt shrugged.
"Born and raised in the same town my whole life. Nothing very interesting like some of you guys." He said taking a drink of Sprite.
"Be thankful for that." Rogue said. Matt nodded.
" Did you like have a girlfriend back home?" Kitty asked.
"Nope. I did have one but we broke up a while ago. Why?"
"You like need to ask Boom Boom out."
"Give it a rest Kitty, mah head is startin' to hurt."
Matt shook his head, "I dunno," Kitty groaned.
"If I had a guarantee, but I doubt she even cares." He said. Kitty shrugged.
"Like ask her to Homecoming." Matt looked up, he had neglected that prospect.
"I'll ask her to the dance only if we double with you guys."
"If Ah was going." Rogue said. Rogue had been asked by several boys but had turned all of them down. "Hard to dance if you can't touch anyone."
"Well like try dancing with someone with fur." Kitty said. Sipping her drink.
"Why not go with one of the X-men, they know where to touch and where not to."
"With who?" Rogue asked. "Everyone has a date." She ran her gloved fingers across the top of her glass.
"I'll make you a deal Rogue, I'll ask Tabitha to Homecoming if you promise to come in the group. Kitty and Kurt are going, but a couple other guys don't have dates."
"Go stag, no way." Rogue didn't say anything after that.
Matt sat in Jean's room.
She deserves to go. Please come with us, if Scott comes she has one more to dance with.
Fine, but one dance then we are leaving to the party.
Great, thanks Jean. Matt left the room and headed outside, now he had to do the hardest part. Tabitha was sitting with Rahne on a bench. Matt slowly approached. Rahne smiled but got up and left.
"Hey," Matt said running a hand through his hair. Tabitha smiled. "Hey." She didn't seem particularly interested. Matt's usually confident self was slowly slipping away.
"Anyway, just came to ask if you wanted to go to Homecoming with us, you know, a group thing." He mentally slammed himself for being so shy and awkward. To his surprise she smiled.
"Kay." She said. Then she walked smoothly away. Matt swaggered back into the mansion, his confidence returning. Tapping on Rogue's door he picked a flower from a vase on the table. Rogue opened her door.
"Better get a dress." He said holding up the rose.
Rogue, Kitty, Jean and Tabby sat in the store waiting as they took turns trying on dresses. Kitty was so wrapped up in going to Homecoming she didn't notice the sly comments Rogue and Tabitha made about her.
The guys on the other hand stood around waiting for Kurt to find a tux that fit correctly.
"Hurry it up Kurt." Scott said glancing at his watch. We need to go."
"Ja ja, just a minute." He said emerging form a dressing room wearing a tux that his animal like feet kept tripping on.
"That one is the closest your gonna find blue boy." Matt said. The two groups met up after they finished and rode home in weary induced silence. Matt kept stealing glances back at Boom Boom but she kept content looking out her window. Scott looked at Matt, but Matt couldn't tell what he was thinking.
Rogue stood in front of the mirror twisting to get a good look at how her dress fit on her. It was a deep blood red with long black gloves. Kitty came in, her turquoise dress sparkling until Rogue had to turn her head away.
"You excited?" Kitty asked bubbling over with enthusiasm. Rogue shrugged.
"Ah dunno Pryde, going stag is like a fifth wheel maybe Ah better not go." She pulled the dress over her head and got dressed.
"Phh, don't let Matt hear you say that, he made a bet and he seems like pretty intent on keeping it."
Rogue looked up, and smiled slightly.
Matt, Scott, Jean and the rest of the group headed through the brightly lit doors to the hotel. Jean and Scott instantly diverged from the group seeing a cluster of their friends but the rest stayed together. They sat down at a table and Matt tried to find a way to worm out a good way to get Tabitha to dance with him. Finally he just stood and asked. Boom Boom, got up and the two headed out to the dance floor followed by their friends all pairing up. Evan, who had gone in the group timidly asked Rogue to dance, somewhat afraid of her reaction. Surprisingly she smiled and accepted.
"Hey Tabby, will you go out with me?" Matt kicked himself in his mind, he sounded like a thirteen year old boy. He held his breath waiting for an answer.
"You mean date?" she asked. Matt admired her flowing confidence that emerged through her answer. "Sure." She said never breaking pace.
As the night dragged on Matt kept an eye on Rogue, shockingly she was always being asked to dance, even by people not in their crowd. It seemed all of her fear had almost melted. Matt sat down for a minute his feet aching while Tabitha and Evan went to get punch. Kitty and Kurt were still dancing, Matt didn't know if they had stopped once. Rogue came and sat down, she was out of breath and a strand of white hair hung in her face.
"Having fun?" Matt asked. She nodded.
"I knew you would, how many people asked you to dance?" Rogue shrugged modestly. "Ah dunno."
"Well, we haven't danced yet, you want to?" Matt asked holding out his hand. Rogue smiled and stood. The two danced slowly around the room, Matt being careful not to touch Rogue's skin.
"So how many, really?" Matt asked.
"Ah don't remember, maybe eight that weren't in the group."
Matt looked down at his feet, careful not to tread on Rogue's. Scott and Jean were leaving for the party.
"Bye guys," Jean said coming over to them. "We'll be home later." Matt nodded as the two walked away.
"Jean wait!" Matt said, grabbing Rogue's arm heading after Jean. She turned her head. "What?"
"You have my car keys in your purse." Jean tossed him the keys. As he bent to catch them his hand slipped and fell down Rogue's shoulder to the two inches of skin that lay unprotected. Rogue jerked back in shock but Matt caught the keys and stood, seemingly unaware of his mistake. Rogue sucked in her breath, as he turned to face her. A silver light hung around his hand, shining and shimmering in the lights of the dance. Matt put a hand to his head.
"My head is killing me, I think I'd better sit down for a minute." Matt sat and slowly the silver film that wound its way around his fingers vanished. Sweat dripped from his hair and he stood a little shakily.
"Kid, I think I'm coming down with something, I gotta go." He said. Rogue broke her silence.
"Ya want me to drive ya? Ya don't look to good Rakes." Matt nodded. Rogue told Kitty that they were leaving and she walked with Matt out to the car. Matt breathed in the cool air in relief.
Sorry we didn't get to finish the dance Rogue, I don't know what's wrong."
Rogue shivered slightly.
"Ah think Ah do." She said nervously. Matt looked up curiously.
"When ya went to get your keys, your hand slipped and touched mah skin."
"Aren't I a little too conscious for that?" Matt asked.
"Ah don't understand." Rogue said. "This has never happened before. Maybe we should talk to the Professor."
Matt however wanted conformation. He reached out to touch Rogue's arm again. Rogue backed away.
"What the hell ya think your doing?" she asked alarmed.
"Just making sure, come on Rogue, what's the worst that could happen, I'll pass out, that's it." Rogue looked at him nervously.
"Fahne, but it was your idea." Cautiously Matt reached out and brushed his fingers against her arm. The silver glow returned and Matt put a hand to his temple, but that was all that happened. Matt withdrew his hand and looked at Rogue. She looked halfway between joy and being terrified. Matt stood and held his hand up. Rogue peeled off her glove and set her hand up against his. A life in gloves had left her skin untanned; it looked especially white against Matt's. They both sucked in their breath as the warmth of their blood rushed through their fingertips.
Matt felt pain surge through his head for a brief moment the then subsided. He sat down in the passenger seat of the car. Rogue sat down and turned on the ignition. The ride home was completely silent except for Matt's heavy breathing. When they reached the institute he stumbled up to his room and lay on his bed. He felt a deep tiredness crawling down his spine and spreading to his legs. He pulled off his tux and ripped the bow tie from his neck. Exhausted he hit his pillow and fell asleep.
Rogue sat in her room gazing dazed at her hand. She had touched someone. Her emotions welled up inside of her. As a solitary tear ran down her race she jammed her fist into her pillow. Why did she have to touch someone?! Someone she would never have reason to touch again. She had finally gotten what she had wondered about for years but now it was gone as soon as it had come. Rogue changed into her regular clothes and walked outside. She passed Logan on her way out. He looked at her for a moment but said nothing.
Outside Rogue sat on the grass. The moon peaked down on her from behind the trees and bathed the ground in a silver light. Almost the same color Matt had been when he touched her. Rogue pushed him out of her thoughts Maybe the professor could simply wipe the memory away. Rogue looked behind her as a car pulled up. Scott and Jean stepped out. They were smiling and talking quietly. They were freely touching each other, even holding hands. Rogue glared at them and turned away.
Throughout the rest of the weekend Rogue didn't stay home. She stayed out with friends and came home late. She avoided Matt and Tabitha at all costs. Sunday night she fell into her bed thankful that school would resume and she didn't have any classes with Matt.
Rogue opened her locker and took out her books. Stuffing them into her bag she straightened and closed the metal door. She walked down the hall and stopped abruptly when she saw Matt and Tabitha walking down the hall together. She walked faster, diverting her gaze.
"Hey Rogue," Matt said waving to her. Rogue looked up and murmured something.
"Do we have any homework in history?" Tabitha asked.
"Uh, yeah, just some questions outta the book." Rogue said. Matt gave her a secretive smile and left for his next class leaving the two girls alone.
"Rogue! Hey Rogue, over here!" Matt called. Rogue walked over to the car.
"You need a ride home?" he asked. She looked over at Scott's car. It was already full.
"Sure." She said. Matt started the engine as Rogue sat in the front passenger seat.
"Where's Boom Boom?" She asked as the car turned the corner. Matt shrugged.
"She said she was going somewhere with a couple of friends." Rogue let out a small breath as they stopped in traffic. Rogue noticed a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Hey are my hands cold?" he asked suddenly and put his hand against her face. Instinctively she pulled back but Matt continued to drive, his hand on her face.
"God Rogue, you need to get used to this. Now that you can touch someone I want you to at least experience a few things." Rogue smiled faintly.
"Alright," She said. She pulled off her gloves. Matt shook her bare hand.
"Deal?"
"Deal."
An almost eerie silvery light illuminated Matt's bedroom as he and Rogue laughed quietly. The two lay on the ground arm wrestling.
"You're never going to win." Matt smiled as he held Rogue's arm inches from the ground.
"Wanna bet Rakes?" with an amazing display of strength she nearly pinned his arm to the ground. Matt's face let out a look of shock.
"You touched Logan lately?" Matt asked. Rogue smiled. Matt looked at his clock. 1:42 burned brightly in red.
"We have school tomorrow." He said dejectedly. Rogue stared at the clock in disbelief.
"The professor is going to kill us." Matt said.
"Nah, he doesn't go nosing around our minds unless we ask." She said.
"Yeah but can't he pick up on us?" Rogue shrugged.
Matt released her arm and stared at her dark green eyes. They held anger fear and hatred in their depths. On impulse Matt leaned forward kissed her. They stayed that way for nearly 30 seconds before Rogue pulled away. Matt's mouth went dry. Halfway between confusion, happiness and hatred Rogue left the room.